Land45
Senior Member
One of the fastest growing crimes in America is “Identity Theft.” But of course our identity is far more than our social security number, credit card number or bank account.
The real danger of identity theft is… losing who God created us to be!
Ask yourself this question: When no one is around, and you’re all alone…take a long look in the mirror---What do you see when you look in the mirror?
There is a bit of awkwardness when it comes to the topic of looking in the mirror… in that second it connects a dot to our very private self image. It can be at that point in which we all face a bit of (vanity), pride, self-importance, conceit, arrogance, etc…as well as lack of confidence, anxiety, uncertainty, lack of self-confidence, all of our insecurities.
It’s a part of us trying to figure out our identity. Comparison starts creeping in and self conscious thoughts try to take over. Our mind gets us to wondering where we may fit in the midst of our bizarre planet of attractions.
Then most of us shrug our shoulders and say “whatever, I really don’t care how I look!” Well, I think more often than not that’s a way of dismissing or protecting what most may really feel.
I think there is a small part deep within all of us that wishes to look good and often times struggle with the insecurity about our looks. That’s why we (both men and women) try to pick the right clothes, exercise, and work out, diet, and anything else that projects the expected outward appearance of acceptance as we have been targeted and semi-brainwashed through advertising and marketing since we were old enough to be considered a consumer (that counts) based on demographics!
But, before we look in any mirror again; we need to evaluate the mirror itself. What most of us see in that mirror is what we are told to see and what we are told about our physical form. And what most of us experience when we look in the mirror; is shaped by our culture. Our culture is obsessed with our physical form. We are consumed with our outward appearance. We live in a reflection obsessed culture and it’s getting worse!
Don’t misunderstand me; there is a healthy appreciation for physical beauty and caring for our bodies and appearance. God is a God of splendor and creativity. He created a world that’s picturesque, full of beauty and wonder. The problem is not about appreciating beauty but our associating it with love and worth. The problem is not about caring about our appearance but connecting it to the love, to the need for unshakable, dependable, lasting love.
You see here’s the problem…the mirror is not just a mirror when our inner analysis or interpretation is distorted by false connections, imposed with comparisons, driven by misguided obsessions, and deceived by distortions that wrongly define what we see.
We’ve bought the lie that looks means being rewarded or fulfilled, being enough, being accepted, admired and respected. Most of us have all come to think being attractive means that “I will be loved and somebody will want me and my friends will want to be with me and like me”.
Think about what lies within each and every soul…
Genesis 1:27 (KJV)
“So God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he him; male and female he created them.”
Our most basic identity is that of bearing the image of God. All of creation reflects something of God. But we alone bear God’s image. We are creatures gifted with the highest identity. In trying to become (autonomous), separate or alone, we found ourselves naked and exposed.
Genesis 3:10 (KJV)
“and He (Adam) answered, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."
The grand self-respect or pride that humankind holds is left hiding in shame covering itself up. It’s the portrayal of our human shame. The root of the shame lies in our separation of God not our bodies. Having lost their innocence they feel a new condition uncovered by God himself. The nature of human shame lies in our autonomy (our separation) from God… not our anatomy.
We are robbed of our true identity every time we try to cover the underlying inner shame we feel with our outward appearance. We as a culture try to block-out or suppress our shame. The more we try to ignore that something is wrong the more we try to cover it up and the more we will try to hide our inner self image with outward appearance.
If the enemy (of our souls) can get us to focus on the exterior rather than the interior the true image of God that lies within each and everyone of us, then we will face the ultimate and eternal identity theft!!!
How can we take back our true identity and reclaim who God created us to be?
Here are a few “victorious secrets” that will help when Victoria Secrets gets the best of you!!
Listen to God our Father’s voice and discover what He sees. We were created in God’s image bearing His image is our greatest honor and it’s not defined by our bodies. It’s not a physical measurement thing (it’s what every one of us bears.)
Listen to the Psalmist…Psalm 139:13-15
(v13) For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb (v14) I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well (v15) My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Every life bears His image. It is so critical to know what our creator says about us. If we are all just fellow creatures wandering disobediently without knowing who and why we are…we really don’t have an important voice to offer. That is why Jesus came to further make God known. He who defines and directs life and Jesus came to reveal life with God. He declares for all to know that an enemy of our souls seeks to deceive and steal from us with each and every second that passes. But He has come to bring life, true life; which is life that flows from the Father’s voice.
Colossians 2:8 (KJV) “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
We may need to seriously do some interior remodeling of our minds (and souls).
Romans 12:2 (KJV)
“And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
To reach what is good and pleasing involves changing or rather transforming our perceptions. What this means is deciding that the magazines, TV commercials, and Hollywood really doesn’t offer a clue as to who we really are!
It means that in a world flooded by images “I won’t let any other image define me other than the image of God.”
Look at yourself through the lens of God’s love…
1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV) “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countance, on on the height of his stature; because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”
God sees what lies within us and calls us to see beauty from the inside out. Have you ever been just awed by someone’s outward attractiveness only to find that beauty lost after you get to know them or when they open their mouth? You see beauty is an inside out thing. We can find a couple examples in the history of Israel found in the Bible. In the Old Testament we find the story of Esther. The Bible says she was beautiful all the way to the bone. In Esther 2, it says her physical beauty opened a door for God to use her inner beauty to save the Jewish race from genocide. It’s interesting that her outer beauty is mentioned only once in the book while several verses talk about her courage, leadership, wisdom, and compassion.
And another Old Testament example is Absalom. Have you ever heard of him? He was one of King David’s sons.
2 Samuel 14:25 “But in all Israel there none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.”
No doubt he (Absalom) could have graced the cover of GQ magazine. Yet what defined his life was the lack of beauty within. On the inside he was prideful, arrogant, rebellious, and violent. He betrayed his own dad to steal the throne. Absalom may have been physically stunning, but was ugly within.
1 Peter 3:3-4 (KJV) (v3) Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; (v4) But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. In other words what matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes— but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in.”
Our attractiveness should come primarily from the inside. The point is NOT that we should ignore our appearance at all. The point is that if we want to look for real beauty, we should be looking beyond and beneath our outward appearance. Look at yourself from the inside out…look within and discover who you are.
Just as a mirror serves to disclose the outer person, God’s character and revelation is the mirror of the condition of the inner man. If you choose to ignore God’s Word in exchange for a glass mirror that only reflects the outer person, then you’re destined to have your identity stolen.
So here’s a fashion tip from God himself…
Colossians 3:12-14 (KJV) (v12) Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;(v13) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. (v14) And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
My translation… chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. This is the trend for the new season of your life that will never go out of style.
I think we could help each other see how God sees us, and what real beauty is! Love what your Creator God loves…people. Remember, we are all created in God’s image!
You are all awesome!!
Sorry this is so lengthy...
Smile at a stranger, feed the poor, spread God’s Word, and share the love of Jesus Christ.
Peace and Blessings,
Land45
The real danger of identity theft is… losing who God created us to be!
Ask yourself this question: When no one is around, and you’re all alone…take a long look in the mirror---What do you see when you look in the mirror?
There is a bit of awkwardness when it comes to the topic of looking in the mirror… in that second it connects a dot to our very private self image. It can be at that point in which we all face a bit of (vanity), pride, self-importance, conceit, arrogance, etc…as well as lack of confidence, anxiety, uncertainty, lack of self-confidence, all of our insecurities.
It’s a part of us trying to figure out our identity. Comparison starts creeping in and self conscious thoughts try to take over. Our mind gets us to wondering where we may fit in the midst of our bizarre planet of attractions.
Then most of us shrug our shoulders and say “whatever, I really don’t care how I look!” Well, I think more often than not that’s a way of dismissing or protecting what most may really feel.
I think there is a small part deep within all of us that wishes to look good and often times struggle with the insecurity about our looks. That’s why we (both men and women) try to pick the right clothes, exercise, and work out, diet, and anything else that projects the expected outward appearance of acceptance as we have been targeted and semi-brainwashed through advertising and marketing since we were old enough to be considered a consumer (that counts) based on demographics!
But, before we look in any mirror again; we need to evaluate the mirror itself. What most of us see in that mirror is what we are told to see and what we are told about our physical form. And what most of us experience when we look in the mirror; is shaped by our culture. Our culture is obsessed with our physical form. We are consumed with our outward appearance. We live in a reflection obsessed culture and it’s getting worse!
Don’t misunderstand me; there is a healthy appreciation for physical beauty and caring for our bodies and appearance. God is a God of splendor and creativity. He created a world that’s picturesque, full of beauty and wonder. The problem is not about appreciating beauty but our associating it with love and worth. The problem is not about caring about our appearance but connecting it to the love, to the need for unshakable, dependable, lasting love.
You see here’s the problem…the mirror is not just a mirror when our inner analysis or interpretation is distorted by false connections, imposed with comparisons, driven by misguided obsessions, and deceived by distortions that wrongly define what we see.
We’ve bought the lie that looks means being rewarded or fulfilled, being enough, being accepted, admired and respected. Most of us have all come to think being attractive means that “I will be loved and somebody will want me and my friends will want to be with me and like me”.
Think about what lies within each and every soul…
Genesis 1:27 (KJV)
“So God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he him; male and female he created them.”
Our most basic identity is that of bearing the image of God. All of creation reflects something of God. But we alone bear God’s image. We are creatures gifted with the highest identity. In trying to become (autonomous), separate or alone, we found ourselves naked and exposed.
Genesis 3:10 (KJV)
“and He (Adam) answered, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."
The grand self-respect or pride that humankind holds is left hiding in shame covering itself up. It’s the portrayal of our human shame. The root of the shame lies in our separation of God not our bodies. Having lost their innocence they feel a new condition uncovered by God himself. The nature of human shame lies in our autonomy (our separation) from God… not our anatomy.
We are robbed of our true identity every time we try to cover the underlying inner shame we feel with our outward appearance. We as a culture try to block-out or suppress our shame. The more we try to ignore that something is wrong the more we try to cover it up and the more we will try to hide our inner self image with outward appearance.
If the enemy (of our souls) can get us to focus on the exterior rather than the interior the true image of God that lies within each and everyone of us, then we will face the ultimate and eternal identity theft!!!
How can we take back our true identity and reclaim who God created us to be?
Here are a few “victorious secrets” that will help when Victoria Secrets gets the best of you!!
Listen to God our Father’s voice and discover what He sees. We were created in God’s image bearing His image is our greatest honor and it’s not defined by our bodies. It’s not a physical measurement thing (it’s what every one of us bears.)
Listen to the Psalmist…Psalm 139:13-15
(v13) For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb (v14) I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well (v15) My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Every life bears His image. It is so critical to know what our creator says about us. If we are all just fellow creatures wandering disobediently without knowing who and why we are…we really don’t have an important voice to offer. That is why Jesus came to further make God known. He who defines and directs life and Jesus came to reveal life with God. He declares for all to know that an enemy of our souls seeks to deceive and steal from us with each and every second that passes. But He has come to bring life, true life; which is life that flows from the Father’s voice.
Colossians 2:8 (KJV) “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
We may need to seriously do some interior remodeling of our minds (and souls).
Romans 12:2 (KJV)
“And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
To reach what is good and pleasing involves changing or rather transforming our perceptions. What this means is deciding that the magazines, TV commercials, and Hollywood really doesn’t offer a clue as to who we really are!
It means that in a world flooded by images “I won’t let any other image define me other than the image of God.”
Look at yourself through the lens of God’s love…
1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV) “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countance, on on the height of his stature; because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”
God sees what lies within us and calls us to see beauty from the inside out. Have you ever been just awed by someone’s outward attractiveness only to find that beauty lost after you get to know them or when they open their mouth? You see beauty is an inside out thing. We can find a couple examples in the history of Israel found in the Bible. In the Old Testament we find the story of Esther. The Bible says she was beautiful all the way to the bone. In Esther 2, it says her physical beauty opened a door for God to use her inner beauty to save the Jewish race from genocide. It’s interesting that her outer beauty is mentioned only once in the book while several verses talk about her courage, leadership, wisdom, and compassion.
And another Old Testament example is Absalom. Have you ever heard of him? He was one of King David’s sons.
2 Samuel 14:25 “But in all Israel there none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.”
No doubt he (Absalom) could have graced the cover of GQ magazine. Yet what defined his life was the lack of beauty within. On the inside he was prideful, arrogant, rebellious, and violent. He betrayed his own dad to steal the throne. Absalom may have been physically stunning, but was ugly within.
1 Peter 3:3-4 (KJV) (v3) Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; (v4) But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. In other words what matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes— but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in.”
Our attractiveness should come primarily from the inside. The point is NOT that we should ignore our appearance at all. The point is that if we want to look for real beauty, we should be looking beyond and beneath our outward appearance. Look at yourself from the inside out…look within and discover who you are.
Just as a mirror serves to disclose the outer person, God’s character and revelation is the mirror of the condition of the inner man. If you choose to ignore God’s Word in exchange for a glass mirror that only reflects the outer person, then you’re destined to have your identity stolen.
So here’s a fashion tip from God himself…
Colossians 3:12-14 (KJV) (v12) Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;(v13) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. (v14) And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
My translation… chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. This is the trend for the new season of your life that will never go out of style.
I think we could help each other see how God sees us, and what real beauty is! Love what your Creator God loves…people. Remember, we are all created in God’s image!
You are all awesome!!
Sorry this is so lengthy...
Smile at a stranger, feed the poor, spread God’s Word, and share the love of Jesus Christ.
Peace and Blessings,
Land45
